The Geographic Automata Tool: A New General-Purpose Geosimulation Extension for ArcGIS Pro

Abstract

The theoretical paradigm of geographic automata systems (GAS) underpins a wide range of studies to represent dynamic complex geospatial phenomena. Specifically, cellular automata (CA) were used extensively over the past 40 years for geospatial applications, though primarily for modeling urban growth. Currently, the hyper-specialized and fragmented geospatial technology ecosystem supporting CA model implementation often necessitates programmed solutions or use of disconnected programs with graphical user interfaces (GUIs) separate from common geographic information systems (GIS) software. Therefore, the main goal of this study is to present a general-purpose, GIS-based CA modeling framework and extension for Esri’s ArcGIS Pro software environment. The methodological approach centered around (1) developing generic functions for building binary or multi-class CA models to capture various spatiotemporal systems and (2) enabling end-to-end CA modeling projects that can incorporate built-in functionality available in ArcGIS Pro versions 3.1 and newer. Two case studies demonstrate the add-in capabilities to support geosimulation model-building activities and exploration of new hybrid models. This research contributes to advancing flexible, transparent spatiotemporal modeling tools within existing GIS software. The proposed approach addresses the lack of streamlined geospatial technologies capable of simulating numerous dynamic geospatial phenomena, exploring human and environmental processes, and examining possible futures with CA in research, decision making, or educational settings.